The Hill Infant School

St Andrews Playgroup Watling Street, Dartford, Kent DA1 1RF

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Inspection date 28 November 2018 Previous inspection date 10 June 2014

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This inspection: Good 2

Previous inspection: Good 2 Effectiveness of leadership and management Good 2 Quality of teaching, learning and assessment Good 2 Personal development, behaviour and welfare Good 2 Outcomes for children Good 2

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This provision is good

n Partnerships with parents are good. The manager and staff use a wide range of strategies to engage parents and share information about children's achievements. Parents comment that they value the individual care and learning their children receive. n The manager and staff evaluate the playgroup accurately. They include the views of parents and children to help identify areas for further improvement. For example, staff effectively enhance the environment to help provide children with a quiet space to rest and reflect on their feelings and support their emotional well-being. n Staff effectively enhance children's communication and language skills. For example, they clearly emphasise key words throughout their interactions to help children's understanding and speaking skills. All children make good progress in their learning from their starting points. n Children have a good awareness of healthy lifestyles. For example, staff provide

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This provision is good

nutritious snacks and engage children in conversations about healthy food choices. n Sometimes staff miss opportunities to support children's growing independence and self-help skills, as staff undertake tasks that children could do themselves. n Staff do not consistently make the most of opportunities to help children practise their early writing skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

To further improve the quality of the early years provision the provider should:

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

n make the most of opportunities to consistently support children's growing independence n provide children with more opportunities to develop their early handwriting skills.

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What the setting needs to do to improve further

Inspection activities n The inspector observed the quality of teaching and children's activities, completed a joint observation with the manager and held discussions about children's progress and learning. n The inspector held conversations with the manager, staff and children throughout the inspection. n The inspector checked evidence of staff suitability checks and their qualifications, and sampled relevant policies and procedures. n The inspector took into account the views of the parents during the inspection. n The inspector observed staff's planning documentation and the children's assessment records.

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Effectiveness of leadership and management is good

The manager effectively monitors individual children's progress and that of different groups of children, to close any emerging gaps in their learning successfully. For example, staff use a wider range of strategies to enhance children's communication skills. One way staff do this is with the effective use of signing to help children communicate. The manager supports staff well to continually improve the quality of their practice. For example, she organises relevant training and individual support to raise standards in teaching. Staff attended training to help enhance their understanding of how children learn as individuals and implement this effectively into their planning programme. Safeguarding is effective. Staff keep their safeguarding knowledge up to date and are fully aware of the procedure to follow if they have concerns about a child's welfare.

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Quality of teaching, learning and assessment is good

Staff assess individual children's progress in their development well and effectively plan for their next steps in learning. They include information from parents about children's interests and skilfully use a wide range of resources to engage children during the morning. For instance, children enthusiastically and creatively explore sand with various measuring tools. Staff effectively challenge the children to use their thinking skills and consider, for example, how can the children make the sand stick together to create different structures. Staff give clear explanations to enhance their learning. For instance, they explain that by adding water to the sand it will become workable. Staff teach mathematics well. For example, they effectively challenge children to identify numbers, compare size and volume and count objects within their play experiences.

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Personal development, behaviour and welfare are good

Children are happy and settled in the welcoming environment staff provide, which is organised well to enable children to follow their interests and lead their own play. The key-person system works well and relationships between staff and children are strong. Staff are sensitive and responsive to children's needs. Staff encourage children well to be polite and well behaved. Staff build on children's confidence and sense of belonging well. For example, they constantly praise children for their achievements.

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Outcomes for children are good

Children develop the skills needed for their future learning and move to school. For example, they play and explore cooperatively together and confidently communicate their needs, ideas and views. Children develop a good understanding of diversity beyond their immediate family. For example, the environment includes positive cultural images, dual-language text and role-play resources. Children gain good balance and coordination skills. for instance, they enjoy creating their own physical challenges outside with large movable materials.

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Setting details

Unique reference number 127575 Local authority Kent Inspection number 10068914 Type of provision Sessional day care

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Registers

Early Years Register, Compulsory Childcare Register, Voluntary Childcare Register Day care type Childcare on non-domestic premises Age range of children 2 - 4 Total number of places 30 Number of children on roll 25 Name of registered person St Andrews Playgroup Committee

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reference number

Date of previous inspection 10 June 2014 Telephone number 07979092993

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reference number

St Andrews Playgroup registered in 1977 and operates from a church hall in Dartford, Kent. The playgroup receives funding for the provision of free early education for children aged two-,three- and four-years-old. The playgroup opens each weekday from 9.30am until 12.30pm during school term times, and a lunch time club until 1pm. There are six members of staff, five of whom have appropriate early years qualifications.

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This inspection was carried out by Ofsted under sections 49 and 50 of the Childcare Act 2006 on the quality and standards of provision that is registered on the Early Years Register. The registered person must ensure that this provision complies with the statutory framework for children's learning, development and care, known as the early years foundation stage.

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reference number

procedures set out in the guidance Complaints procedure: raising concerns and making complaints about Ofsted, which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk . If you would like Ofsted to send you a copy of the guidance, please telephone 0300 123 4234, or email enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk . achieve excellence in the care of children and young people, and in education and skills for learners of all ages. It regulates and inspects childcare and children's social care, and inspects the Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service (Cafcass), schools, colleges, initial teacher training, further education and skills, adult and community learning, and education and training in prisons and other secure establishments. It assesses council children's services, and inspects services for looked after children, safeguarding and child protection.

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reference number

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T: 0300 123 4234 Textphone: 0161 618 8524 E: enquiries@ofsted.gov.uk W: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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